THE ROYAL ROUTE

We welcome you to Istanbul, Turkiye’s cultural, historical, and financial center. Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökcen Airport (SAW) you will be transferred to your hotel in the Old City or Taksim areas. After Check-in you take the much-needed rest. A leisurely walk in the historic Sultanahmet district or the ever-awake Istiklal Street in Taksim is always a great idea to spend your first evening in the city.

If your check in is completed by the afternoon, the unforgettable Turkish Night on the Bosphorus Dinner Cruise awaits you. You will be picked up from your hotel around 7:30 in the evening and transferred to the Cruise Ship. While having your Turkish Dinner and relishing unlimited cocktails and drinks, you will enjoy the cultural dances and traditional Turkish shows. This colorful experience is enhanced by the panoramic views of Dolmabahce Palace, Rumeli Fortress on the West coast and Beylerbeyi Palace, Camlica Mosque and Anadolu Fortress on the East coast of the Bosphorus Straight. After about 4 hours of fun and entertainment you will be dropped at the pier and transferred to your hotel around midnight.

(Bosphorus Dinner Cruise will be provided on any other mutually agreed day if it cannot be taken on the first night due to late check-in)

– Meal: Dinner on Cruise

– Overnight stay in Istanbul.

The best of Istanbul’s historic and cultural treasures unfold on this comprehensive tour. After breakfast you meet your guide at your hotel lobby. Guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and take you to the tour of Istanbul Old City  The first milestone is the iconic Blue Mosque, a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. Admire its striking blue tiles and tranquil atmosphere. Next, explore the magnificent Hagia Sophia (Church of Holy Wisdom, museum that used the be the biggest Orthodox church in the World), a marvel of Byzantine engineering and artistry. You witness its grandeur and historical significance. Afterwards, step into the magnificent world of the Topkapi Palace, once home to Ottoman sultans and now a museum. Discover its ornate rooms, courtyards, and the priceless treasures and the holy Muslim relics within.

After Lunch Break, head to the Grand Bazaar (the oldest and the largest covered market in the world), a bustling market where you can shop for a wide collection of traditional Turkish goods including Lamps, Carpets, Jewelry and Spices. This lets you plunge deep into Istanbul’s heritage, art, and culture, making it a memorable exploration of the city’s most iconic attractions. Later you explore the Spice Bazaar to experience the scents and tastes of traditional Turkish spices and sweets. End of the tour return to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Visited Places: Blue Mosque – Hagia Sophia – Topkapi Palace – Hippodrome and Obelisk – Grand Bazaar – Basilica Cistern

– Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

– Overnight stay in Istanbul.

This day is a free day in Istanbul. This day is for you to experience the heavenly beauty of Istanbul. You can have a walk on Istiklal Avenue in Taksim and visit Galata tower for its panoramic view of the Bosphorus and the historical peninsula. Shopping is always one of the premium options for immersing in the local culture along with buying your desired stuff. There are other optional tours for you to choose from. Descending into the mysterious depths of the Basilica Cistern, an ancient underground reservoir near blue mosque square with intriguing history could be a spellbinding experience.

In the evening you are driven to Bursa. You check in and rest for your next day exploration of this beautiful historical city.

Please have a look at the optional Istanbul Tours page or consult your tour operator/guide for details.

TOUR OPTIONS:

One of the following Tours can be arranged on demand.

1. Princess Islands Tour
2. Eyup Sultan Shrine & Pierre Lotti Cable Car
3. Dolmabahce Palace & Ortakoy
4. Shopping Tour to Tahtakale

– Meal: Breakfast / (lunch can be added depending on your optional tour selection)

– Overnight stay in Bursa.

The first capital of Ottoman Empire, the city of Bursa is a beautiful combination of history, culture and natural scenery. The tombs of the founder of Ottoman empire Osman and his son Orhan are also found here along with the historical Ulucami mosque and the famous covered market and the traditional work & community centre Kozahan. The city is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List as it houses historical buildings. It is also the center of the winter tourism as it has one of the highest and most famous snowy peaks called Uludağ. The cable car on Uludağ is one of the longest and most thrilling in Turkiye. With more than 3 million people and is famous for its textiles and chestnut candy, which is the leader of the industrialization.

Your guide meets you in the hotel lobby at about 07:30 in the morning. You get to the Asian side of Istanbul crossing the famous Bosphorus Bridge with a breathtaking view of the two continents and the Bosphorus Strait. You spend half of your day in Bursa visiting the major touristic spots along with visiting the tombs of Ottoman sultans Osman and Orhan. You will be served lunch in Bursa. After spending half of your day in Bursa, you head to near-by city of Söğüt where Ertuğrul Gazi, the father of Osman Gazi lies in his last abode. After spending about an hour, you head to Cappadocia.

You reach Cappadocia at about midnight. You check in and rest for your next day exploration of this fairyland on earth.

Those of you who have a booking for a hot-air balloon ride will be picked at about 04:00 am. Please consult your guide/tour operator in advance.

– Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

– Overnight stay in Cappadocia.

If you have a booking for early morning Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia, you start your day early in the morning at about 04:00 am. You will be picked from your hotel lobby and taken to Balloon Field in Goreme. You enjoy this lifetime experience of Hot Air Balloon right from the start as the pilots make fire and get their respective balloons ready for the ride. You will also be served with snack. After an experience lasting about 3 hours in total, you will return to your hotel. You can relax in your hotel before going for breakfast and catching up with your city tour plan for the day.

After Breakfast, you will be exploring the unique landscape of the valleys in Cappadocia. This fairyland like beauty is not found elsewhere in the world. Admire the highlights of the city like Goreme Open Air Museum, Paşabağı, Love Valley, the Underground City of Kaymakli, and more while learning about the history and culture of the city from your guide.

You will be picked from your hotel at about 09:00 am. Along with your guide. Then you arrive in Göreme after pickup from your hotel and marvel at some of the best views in the region. Visit the Underground City, the biggest and deepest underground settlement, which boasts eight levels connected by narrow tunnels. Enjoy time to explore the stalls, stores, churches, wineries, kitchens, and other sections open to visitors, while your guide provides insightful commentary.

Stop for lunch in a traditional restaurant, before heading to one of the famous valleys of Cappadocia, included in your selected tour. The most famous valleys include Pigeon Valley, Love Valley and Paşabağı (Monks)Valley and the Devrent valley. You will also visit the Goreme Open Air Museum and marvel at the rock-cut churches carved by early Christian monks. Learn about Christianity and the Monastic Life of Cappadocia from your guide.

After an engaging tour of the town and the valleys you visit a pottery workshop and learn about red clay work and ceramics. Watch a demonstration of the ancient free-hand technique and hear about the pottery-making tradition which dates to the 2nd millennium B.C by the Hittites. Then, head to a rug workshop with hand-woven products. After that, you enjoy a relaxing return to your hotel adding a precious page to your tourist resume.

– Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

– Overnight stay in Cappadocia.

Known for its laid-back calmness & serenity the city of Konya is famous among toursist for the tomb of the head of whirling dervishes Mevlana Rum. The downtown of the city is also a nice place to have the famous dishes of Konya. Today, after breakfast, you check out from you hotel in Cappadocia and at about 10:00 am you leave for Konya. You visit the shrine of Mevlana Rum at about noon and also visit a few other historical places nearby. Then you head to the downtown for a nice lunch.

After having lunch, you continue your travel to Antalya. You reach Antalya by the evening. After checking in and settling down you may choose either to rest or to head for a walk around Antalya downtown known as “kaleici”and the seaside.

– Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

– Overnight stay in Antalya.

Today you go for your exploration of the Antalya downtown and the beautiful touristic spots around the city. With its sandy beaches, soaring mountains, and picturesque waterfalls, Antalya has become the capital of Turkish tourism. It is also the 5th biggest city with a population of one and half million in Turkey. You will find some most beautiful beaches of the world in Antalya. You start your day with your guide at about 09:30 am, after having buffet breakfast at the hotel. Starting by a tour to the Duden Waterfalls, you experience some of the most scenic spots of Antalya. By the evening you will be guided back to the walled city. You will also visit the Downtown marina. You also enjoy a boat trip on the Mediterranean Sea waters. This tour provides you with a fantastic chance to discover the local culture as well as the ordinary lifestyle of Turkish people. There will be plenty of time granted for you to explore and take photos.

– Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

– Overnight stay in Antalya.

This day is your free day in Antalya. This day is for you to experience the amazing beauty of Antalya on your own. You can spend your day on Lara or Konyaalti, the two most famous beaches in Antalya. Shopping is always one of the premium options for immersing in the local culture along with buying your desired stuff. There are other optional tours for you to choose from. Please have a look at the optional Antalya Tours page or consult your tour operator/guide for details.

By the end of today, you will be transferred to Pamukkale by a luxury van/minibus

TOUR OPTIONS:

One of the following Tours can be arranged on demand.

1. River Rafting
2. Scuba Diving
3. Jeep Safari
4. Land of Legends Theme Park

– Meal: Breakfast / (lunch can be added depending on your optional tour selection)

– Overnight stay in Pamukkale/Denizli.

This is your day to embark on a full-day trip to Pamukkale, literally translated as the “cotton castle, and the ancient city of Hierapolis from Antalya. You get to see the Pamukkale Travertines, Roman Theater, Apollo Temple, and more on this amazing tour. You will also enjoy a tasty lunch and a refreshing dip in the warm waters if you want.

You will be picked up early in the morning at around 06:30 am. You can request the hotel to pack your breakfast beforehand. It takes about 3 hours to reach the cascading snow-white terraced cliffs of this mysterious cotton castle. The calcite-laden waters that had created this unreal landscape come from springs located in a 200-meter-high cliff that overlooks the plain. Marvel at the mineral forests, petrified waterfalls, and the series of terraced basins created by these waters. Also, you can witness the thermal spa of Hierapolis built at the end of the 2nd century B.C. by the kings of Pergamon. The ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site. The temples were significant trade centers for ancient Hierapolis. You can also take a dip in the Cleopatra’s Pool, for an extra fee.

You are driven to Istanbul in the evening reaching your hotel in the late evening ending this delightful tour.

– Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

– Overnight stay in Istanbul.

This is your Istanbul see-off day. After having your breakfast at the hotel you complete your check-out. You will be transferred to the airport for your departure, taking with you unforgettable memories of Turkiye.

Visit the traditional neighborhoods or go shopping for Turkish Delight or Turkish Souvenirs if time allows.

-Meal: Breakfast